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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29257323">at your side (finally)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/diazsbuckaroo/pseuds/diazsbuckaroo'>diazsbuckaroo</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1 (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Caring Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Concussions, Covid era, Eddie Diaz Takes Care of Evan "Buck" Buckley, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Hospitals, Hurt Evan "Buck" Buckley, Lower case for aesthetic:), M/M, Medical Trauma, Mention of Maddie Buckley, Mention sexual content, Not smut or graphic, Sick Evan "Buck" Buckley, Silly Love Story, not canon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 12:28:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,216</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29257323</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/diazsbuckaroo/pseuds/diazsbuckaroo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>buck gets a concussion and winds up in the hospital, eddie visits!!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Evan "Buck" Buckley &amp; Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>193</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>at your side (finally)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hello!</p>
<p>a couple notes before:</p>
<p>mention of maddie.<br/>humor plays a roll later on in the story.<br/>eddie gets ptsd from Shannon’s death.<br/>SET IN COVID 19 ERA (mask wearing and limited visitors mentioned)<br/>—I wrote that non covid patients can have one visitor and the visitor has to be the same each time: this is likely NOT true, I purely made it up for this story purpose. Each state has different covid rules and so I’m not sure about CA. please do not quote me on anything factually. :)</p>
<p>as always I do not own rights to 911 or the characters :)! </p>
<p>that’s all I can think of!</p>
<p>enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As the low hum of various beeps plays in the background of his brain, eddie sits on the rolly stool beside buck’s hospital bed, silently reflecting on the past whirlwind 3 hours. nope, wait, 1 and half hours. seems longer. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">buck’s been in the hospital before, but all previous times there was always someone with him no matter what. between his shifts and christopher, eddie couldn’t find the time to visit. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">buck understood, he always did. he knew eddie didn’t want to be there for his broken leg, knowing it’d be awkward since ali practically never left his side through the weeks he stayed. he didn’t stay long for he blood clot, even so maddie seemed to overstay her welcome- bucks words not eddie’s. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">but now, between covid, maddie’s pregnancy, and the fact buck was seriously single, this time was different. there was no one that absolutely </span>
  <span class="s2">needed </span>
  <span class="s1"> or felt obligated to be at his bedside. each non-covid patient was allowed 1 visitor, and that visitor had to be the same person every time. enter eddie. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">—</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">riding with him in the ambulance was a fool proof way of getting to stay by him, bobby approving his shift end early. he kept track of buck’s vitals as he slipped in and out of consciousness on the ride, suffering from an obvious concussion. it’s not where he saw himself being or even wanting to be again, the painful memories of shannon’s death replaying in his head so often he had to convince his brain it’s not the same even if it felt like it. his same blue-gloved hand holding the one of the person he loved, gazing down upon them as they lay on the stretcher. it’s uncanny how much PTSD eddie went through. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">buck’s banged up but he’s not going to die. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">he’s not going to die. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">—</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">soft tear marks stain his cheeks as he cleans up in the hospital bathroom. buck was ushered to an ER bay, then CT so fast eddie barely had time to memorize his doctors names. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">he did it, he stayed strong. he didn’t cry at all on the scene but now being strikingly alone in the empty bathroom, staring at himself in the mirror provokes quiet tears. he didn’t even realize his still had his gloves on until he reached to wipe the tear away. blue stained with red- buck’s blood from the cuts and scraps bleeding on his cheek, chin, and hands eddie tired his best to get under control on scene. he peels them off and discards them in the trash, now being able to wipe his tears. a few deep breaths and pulling up his mask and he was gone from the bathroom, out to the bustling hallways hearing heart monitors spike too often for what he knew himself to be normal. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">he walks over to the nurses station where a curly haired nurse- at least he thought she had curly hair, the scrub cap she wore only revealed a couple strands framing her face. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“can you tell me if evan buckley has been moved to a room yet?” </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">the nurse moves to the laptop, typing away fast and eventually nodding. “yes, room 345 neuro icu.” she gestures to walk away but eddie’s stutter and gasp seems to hault her. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“neruo icu? is he-he okay?”</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“just a precaution based on his CT. Dr. Fields will have more for you.” her eyes slant like a smile- hard to tell with masks- before she leaves again. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">eddie turns to follow the signs hanging above him, following arrows pointing to the neuro icu wing. his stroll was chilly- not so much temperature but the vibe he got. it spooked him, quiet filling the atmosphere. he found buck’s room, and saw a nurse standing over by the machines with a tablet in hand.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“hi, im eddie diaz.” he introduces nervously, a shake appearing in his voice. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“hi, I’m nurse gracie, I’ve been assigned to mr. buckley’s care . are you two...” </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“co-workers- best friends. we’re both firefighters.” it dawns on him that he still wears his uniform, though how could he forget.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“oh okay, well, I’ll tell the doctor you’re here, I know you must have a million questions.” she compassionates with him. eddie finds his way to the stool nearby, rolling so he is next to buck’s bed as much as he can be without pressing into the bed itself or tangling in tubes and wires. he reaches his hand to buck’s resting at his side, laying more limp than eddie would prefer. his second hand ruffles buck’s hair, smoothing the mess from his fire protection-O2 helmet his wore earlier. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“firefighter diaz, hi, I’m dr. fields, mr buckley’s neurologist.” a nice, calm voice booms behind him. he swivles to see her in the doorway, entering further once she sees eddie acknowledges. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“hi.” he chokes out more emotionally attached than he’d like. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“so, all good news. mr buckley’s not in a coma, just sedated for a bit to relieve some pressure of his brain from the concussion. said concussion is pretty bad though, definitely a doozy. he’ll need to probably have bed rest and limit excessive movements or lights for about a week, but other than that, no broken bones, no internal bleeding, no long term affects.” </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">eddie feelings the air lighten up, that or his lungs know how to properly inflate once more. he bows his head and exhales “thank you, thank you dr fields.” </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“once he wakes up, we’ll run a quick check again and then he can go home!” she cheers, and eddie nods to her before she leaves the room. his hand connects with buck’s, interlacing fingers again seamlessly. a gently squeeze is all it took for buck’s baby blue eyes to flutter, adjusting to the room before him. the lights were dim, unusual for the exhaustingly bright beams descending. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“buck?” eddie whispers. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“hi.” buck grins softly. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“buckley, you nearly scared me half to death.” </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I-I know.” he swallows and says, opening his eyes further. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“you remember?”</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“sort of. I know it can’t be good whatever it is if I’m here and you’re here.”</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“yeah well, maddie’s too high risk and you’re girlfriend-less so,” </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“maybe I like being girlfriend less.” buck smirks sending alarms at eddie. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“okay I think that’s the concussion talking.” </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“no im serious.” buck counters, his voice still at a whisper though as his eyes still get used to the light again. “I </span>
  <span class="s2">may </span>
  <span class="s1">be horny but I don’t want a girlfriend anymore.” he laughs, making eddie as well. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“okay okay okay,” he smiles. “I’m gonna pretend that I didn’t hear you were horny ‘cause I already know too much about you today.” eddie knows the loopy-ness is a side effects of the multiple combinations of drugs, sedation still, and the concussion but he can’t help but wonder if what he means is true. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I want a boyfriend.” </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“yeah?”</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“yeah. maybe you could-could help me with that. and the horny part too.” both guys chuckle. buck talks like he’s drunk or high, coming from experience of dealing with buck when he’s been drunk and that one time he was high.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“oh buck,” eddie sighs but joyfully, returning his hand to buck’s hair and playing with it.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“that’s not a no.”</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“no it is not.” eddie smiles. </span>
</p>
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